Miner&#39;s safety-cage.



PATENTED 00T. 6, 190s.

' F. C. KERST, DBCD.

' J. KERST, mmsms'lzMlm:`

MINBARS SAFETY GAGE. i Brummen Hmm JUNE 16, 1903.

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mi mams Perma oo.. vacuo-UTM4v wAsmN No. 740,872. PATBNTED DGT. 6, 1903;

I F. G. KERST, DBGD. Y

s. xnns'r, nmmsfrnnmx MINERS SAFETY GAGE. rr-Murnau# Hun Jzmnle, uma` No MODEL.

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No. 740,872. l PATBNTBD 00T. 6, i903.

- no. KERST, DBG'B.

J" KERST, ADMINISTEATRIX.

,MINERS SAFETY GAGE.

APPLICATION lILED JUNE 16, 1903.

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UNITED STATE-s atented October 1903.

PATENT Prion.

i FREDRICK C. KERST, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS; JULIA KERST ADMINIS- TRATRIX OF SAID FREDRICK C. KERST, DECEASED.

MINERS ASAFETY-CAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters 4Patent No. (740,872, dated October 6, 1903.

Application tiled June 16, 1903. Serial No. 161.734, (No model.)

To @ZZ whom zit may concern: Y

Be it known that I, FREDRIGK C. KERST, a citizen ofthe United States,residin g at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in Miners Safety-Cages, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to Whichit appertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention primarily relates to cages such as are employed in hoisting coal and other minerals, but obviously may be applied to elevators of other kinds.

The purposes of my invention are to provide a cage having safety devices adapted to prevent the falling of the cage if the hoistingcable is broken or to. prevent too sudden ascent of the cage, said safety devices being so constructed and arranged that immediately on the parting of the cable the dogs of the safety device Will engage with the vertical guide-rails by which the movements of the cage are guided-and will prevent the descent of the cage; to provide means for holdingl the clamping-dogs away from the guide-rails during the ordinary operation of the apparatus; to provide effective means for bringing all the dogs simultaneously into engagement with the guide-rails, and to provide a releasing device whereby in case of emergency the dogs may be quickly and effectively operated independently of the parting of the cable.

Vith these ends in View my invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings, to which reference is hereby made,

' on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

and hereinafter particularly described, and nally recited in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlargedv side elevation of one of the safety devices. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevation showing the releasing device. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal transverse sectionthrough one safety device on the line t 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an oblique transverse section through one set of levers Fig. 6 is a partial vertical longitudinal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan of the releasing device detached. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an end elevation ofthe same. Similar reference letters designate like parts in the several views.

` The main frame of the caire consists of side bars A and A', cross-bars A2 and A2, and tiestruts A4. The bars A are of flat bar-steel and have their ends swaged to` form heads a. The cross-pieces A2 and A3 are of channel-bar steel. turned back on themselves to form rectangular sockets o2, in which the pieces A tit. Keys @"'pass through the bars A and hold them rmly in the sockets in the pieces A2. The pieces A2 abut against the ends of the channel-.bars A3. The ends of the struts A4 abut against the pieces A2 and rods A10, inclosed in the struts, pass through the pieces A2, and

bind them firmly against the ends of the struts.

The guide-blocks A5 and the pieces A are secured to the pieces A2 by bolts as, which pass through the pieces A and A2 and the blocks A5. The lower ends 0E the lifting-chains A6 Vare connected with clevises a4 on the rods A12. fThis construction and arrangement of vthe parts gives great rigidity and strength to The ends of the pieces A2 are bent andl A7 is `a clevis a5,with which the hoisting-cable v is connected. The upper ends of the liftingchains A5 are connected with the rod A7 by suitable clevises o6. A coiled spring A9 surrounds the rod A7 within the housing As and' is supported by a washer and nut at vthe lower end of the rod. Lifting on the .rod A7 compresses the spring A9, and -the spring reacts to force the rod quickly downward when the cable parts, thus avoiding the risk of the rod sticking in the housing and failing to fall by gravity.

The clam ping-j uws and the system of levers operating the same are mounted on plates B, which are suitably secured to the side pieces A' of the cage, as hereinafter fully explained. Each of the plates B has an arched part b,

vertical lugs b', horizontal bosses b2, and vertical channels b3. The side pieces A fit in the channels b3 of the' plates B.

A dat plate B', transverse to the pieces A', is connected with the plate B and the pieces A by bolts b4 passing through all of the pieces and holding them firmly together. The pieces A' it tightly in the channels b3, prevent transverse movement of the plate B, and give great rigidity to the structure.

Levers B2 and Bs are mounted on the lugs b', respectively.

' A spring-support B4 has its upper end secured to the plates B and B and has at its lower end a hole (not shown) in which the rod B5 slides. The upper end of the rod B5 fits in a fork bs in the lever B2 and is pivotally connected with the lever near its inner end.

A spring B5 surrounds the rod B5, and the lower end of the spring rests on the bottom of the spring-support B4, and its upper end abuts against a shoulder 297 on the rod. Vhen the inner end of the lever B2 is moved downward, the spring B6 is compressed. When the pressure is removed from the lever B2, the spring reacts'to raise the lever.

Thelever Bshasafork b9,in which the forked end of the lever B2 fits, andhas in each side of the fork a slot bw, in which the pin b, connecting the levers B2 and B3, slides.

Bolts D, having threaded ends d and a central integral collar d', pass horizontally through the plates B and B. The collars d of the bolts D rest against the outer faces of the plates B. Each of the dogs D has a web d2, pierced bya hole digin which the reduced part of the bolt D fits and the dog turns freely on the bolt. The lever D2 ts and turns on the collar d of the bolt D. The annular wall of the dog Dl projects over the hub of the lever and is cut away to form stops d4 d5 d6, which engage with the edges of the levers to limit the oscillations of the dog. On the outer surface of the dog D are teeth d7, which prevent slipping of the dog when in engagement with the guide-rail. The annular Wall of the dog D surrounds and incloses the end of the lever D2 and the dog turns around the Jever. The lower edge of the lever D2 striking against the ledge d on the dog turns the dog on the bolt D to cause the teeth of the dog to engage with the guide-rail.

Within the` hub of the lever D2 is a helical spring D3, which has one endsecured to the hub of the lever D2 and the other end secured to the dog D', and the spring acts to normally disengage the dog from the guide-rail. `When the lever D2 is turned downward, it compresses the spring and forces the dog against the guide-rail. When the lever is released7 the spring reacts to disengage the dog from the guide-rail.

Two bent levers E are mounted to turn on stud-bolts passing through the bosses b2 of the plates B. The upper ends of the levers E are connected by a rod E.

The releasing device F is mounted on the rod E and is connected with the rod A7 by a chain E3 or equivalent connecting device.

The lower member of the lever E has a slot e.

Links D4 connect the levers' B2 and B3 with the levers D2, respectively. The levers E are connected with the levers B2 by the same pin e which connects the levers B2 with the links D4.

When the hoisting-cable pulls on the rod A7 to lift the cage, the rod as it moves upward pulls on the-chain E2, thereby moving upward the connecting-rod E' and causing the lower ends of the levers E also to turn upward, thereby moving upward the outer ends of the levers B2 and B3, and through the instrumentality of the links D4 moving the outer ends of the levers D2 upward, so as to permit the springs D3 to turn the dogs and disengage them from the guide-rail. The described movements of the parts cause compression of springs B6 and A9. Upon the parting of the cable the springs Biand A9 react to promptly reverse the described movements and cause the dogs to firmly engage the guide-rails.

In case the rod A7 should from any cause fail to act promptly upon the parting of the cable or should the engineer lose control of the hoisting machinery while the cageismoving either up or down, I provide means whereby the safetycatches may be quickly and effectively operated by a person on the cage.

The releasing device is mounted midway of the rod E, and consists of a shell or housing F, a vertical eyebolt F', pierced by a transverse holef, a horizontally-slidable lock- IOO ing-boltF2, fitting in the transverse hole in the bolt F,a spring F3, acting to push the locking'- bolt through the hole in the eyebolt, a lever F4, engaging in the slot in the bolt F2, and a lever F5, engaging in a fork in the lever F4. Small rollers f andf2 in the slot of the bolt F2 and the fork of the lever F4, respectively, serve to reduce the friction between the parts. The chain E3 is connected with the eye of the bolt F. The parts `are so constructed and arranged that if the lever F5 be pulled downward it will retract the bolt F2 and permit the Withdrawal of the pin F', so as to disconnect the chain E3 from the rod E'.

If in case of emergency a person on the cage desires to apply the safety device, it is only necessary to pull down on the lever F5, thereby releasing the rod E and permitting the springs A8 to act to set the dogs in engagement with the guide-rails.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is g 1. In a safety-cage, the combination of a main frame, a vertically-slidable liftingrod, transverse plates secured to the main frame, collared bolts passing through said plates, levers turning on the collars of said bolts and provided with hubs, dogs surrounding the hubs of said levers and turning on said bolts, springs acting against said dogs, a connect- IIO said rods, bolts passing through said plates,

dogs mounted on said bolts, levers mounted on said bolts and engaging said dogs, links .connecting said last-named levers with said iirst-named levers, a slidable lifting-rod centrally mounted on said cage and means connecting said lifting-rod with said firstnamed levers, as set forth.

3. A` frame structure for safety-cages, consisting of upright pieces having swaged ends, channel-bar side pieces bent and turned back on themselves to form sockets in which said upright pieces lit, keys passing through said upright pieces,channelbar cross-pieces abutting against said side pieces, pipes abutting against said side pieces, and bolts passing through said pipes and side pieces and securing said side pieces firmly against the ends of said cross-pieces, as set forth.

4. A frame structure for safety-cages consisting of upright pieces, side pieces to which said upright pieces are secured, cross-pieces abutting against said side pieces, securing devices securing together said side pieces and cross-pieces and a centrally-placed housing secured on the under side of said cross-pieces,

as set forth. R

5. In a safety-cage, the combination of a main frame, transverse plates secured on the main frame, curved levers mounted on said plates, a rod connecting said curved levers, a housing centrally mounted on said frame, a lifting-rod slidable in said housing, a spring acting to push said lifting-rod'downward, a connecting device connecting said lifting-rod with said con necting-rod, intermediate levers mounted on saidV plates, springs acting to push said intermediate levers upward, dogactuating levers mounted on'said plates, dogs engaged by said dog-actuating levers, and links` connecting said dog-actuating levers with said intermediate levers, as set forth.

6. A safety device for cages` consisting of a dog-actuating lever provided with a hub, a dog having an annular wall fitting around the hub of said lever and provided with stops A and a spring interposed between said dog and said lever, as set forth.

7. A releasing device consisting of a housing, a bolt detachably connected with said housing and means for releasing said bolt from said housing, in combination with safety devices and a lifting device operatively connected with said releasing device,as set forth.

8. In a safety-cage the combination of a main frame, dogs mounted thereon, a lifting device, dog-operating devices and a releasing device connected with saidlifting device and dog-operating devices, as set forth.

' In Witness whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name at Springfield, Illinois, this 21st day of May, 1903.y A

FREDRICK C. KERST.

Witnesses:

NoNIn F. J AMES, MAY F. RYAN. 

